Protecting Our Springs

Te Waikoropupū Springs must be “protected and kept safe from destruction or contamination”, and that protection is more important than commercialisation, and is critical in giving effect to Ngāti Tama’s kaitiaki role.

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• A WCO sets rules which local and regional councils must abide by, when considering resource consent applications

• A WCO can ban or limit a regional council from issuing new water and discharge permits that relate to water

A water conservation order may be applied over a water body to achieve any of the following:

• To preserve the water body’s natural state

• To protect the characteristics of the water body, including:

• its habitat for terrestrial or aquatic organisms

• its fishery

• its wild, scenic, or other natural characteristics

• its scientific and ecological values

• for recreational, historical, spiritual, or cultural purposes

• the protection of characteristics which any water body has or contributes to, and which are considered to be of outstanding significance in accordance with tikanga Māori.

Any person may apply to the Minister for the Environment for a Water Conservation Order. Applications must set out the reasons for the application.